Earlier today I was updating the Synergeo folks regarding our moves to fill the vacuum, activist-wise. I keep thinking of those Circadia buses, pulling up around Burn Out and unfurling some stages. But some of these shot out buses just live there, used to be airport vans or what have you. The trek to Burning Man is but once a year. It's not like living on a cold, wet junker of a bus is anyone's idea of a great time. Nevertheless, it's cool to show up at these art colonies and stage a circus.
Anyway, here's me on Synergeo:
Of course this is not about numbers, and yes, Dick's ideas for domes make more sense than the low-to-no tech approach favored by many policymakers. I'm sharing the sense that this focus on sleeping bags is no more than a stopgap.Of course I'm referring to our little Sleeping Bag Fundraiser, executed earlier this month as a political action. In terms of sheer volume, we weren't even a blip on the radar. $100 for three military grade bags will hardly keep many bodies warm, that's more than obvious. More to the point is getting the word out (thanks to Benji) regarding what bags you need for this region. El cheapo nylons rated to only 40F won't last, don't even bother with those. Seek military surplus, know your theater.
For a higher tech approach, per blog I sometimes chauffeur visiting foreign aid specialists to our Dignity Village, conveniently close to PDX airport. This is our "outdoor Ikea" and shows what our economy has seen fit to produce in the way of dwelling machine prototypes.
Given future investment depends on their going away impressed with American know-how, we go out of our way to strike a strong pose (I've also proposed the term "Epcot West" to suggest the strategic importance of this installation):
http://worldgame.blogspot.com/2009/01/metropolitan-talk.html
In the meantime, Laughing Horse Collective, a radical bookstore of some repute, has organized the political left to collaborate with disaffected vets, many of them still reliving the Vietnam years, over the homeless issue.
